to wonder if anyone with children ever actually has a house that looks like they don't?

[CheerfulYank]

I have a friend who has no children but has always said that when she does, she will have a home that looks like children don't live there.

She was at a mutual friend's the other day. Mutual friend has a four year old and a newborn, and she had just received a new swing from her ILs.

Childless friend said that she would be "so irritated" with gifts like that because sue doesn't want junk all over her house. Friend with the newborn said "well kids do have stuff." Childless friend said "well there will be a high chair in the corner of course."

I think she's in for a massive shock. I do try to keep my kids' things fairly tidied away in baskets and stuff, but you can definitely tell children live very here!

But then I thought, she is very organized and only wants one, so it is possible.

Anyone actually have a house that looks pristine with kids?

No, who the fuck would want to live in a house like that? [channels Lloyd Grossman]

Hahahahahaha!!

There isn't a mother or father in the land who doesn't know better, is there?

No -nor would I want to...
But sometimes I wish I could safely traverse the floor.

Ours does. Well, we've just moved house so a) not all her toys are here yet b) we're still in the honeymoon stage of putting everything in the toy box when she goes to bed and c) she's 2 so no longer needs things like a highchair.

I have no doubt that once we get properly settled in DD's stuff will once more take over the house. And garden, come Spring!

Well you don't have to live in a tip just because you have children but I am always amazed, for all that, when people assume that their houses will contain no sign of the children who live there. Why wouldn't you want to acknowledge their presence? It's their home too.

That attitude is just weird and precious

How weird. Fair enough, she doesn't want it to be messy, but it's like saying you want your house to look like your husband doesn't live there. Odd.

The op's friend's attitutde I mean

She's always said toys will be contained to the kid's room, but when they're little (like under two) they don't really play alone in their room so it will be interesting!

I have ils like that- their house is enormous though so they can consign the kids stuff to a den. The rest of the house is like a hotel.

All our child stuff stays in the playroom. We don't let kid stuff in other rooms.

Except the baby car seat and mamas and papas snug and toddler booster seat, the peppa magnets on the fridge and the changing bag in the kitchen.
And the rocking caterpillar and few baby toys in the living room. And a few random clothes
And the potty and stool in downstairs loo.
And the too small clothes in the spare room.
And the bath toys etc in the bathroom.
And the baby wipes, calpol and teether granules in our room.
And the dirty washing in the basket in the hall.

So yeah, she could totally have a kid shit free house. Just like ours is

Why would she not want her home to represent her family?

I'd love to see her face if her DP said he wanted the home to look as though she doesn't live there

Yeah well i wish her luck with all that

yes I do! BUT her children are nervous wrecks and never raise their eyes from the ground when she's around and seriously I think she has psychological problems - there is not a speck of dust on her knick knacks (and she even HAS knick knacks!!) I used to feel sorry for her but I think she terrorizes her dh and dc and she is a terrible (aspiring) social climber.

I definitely understand not wanting a place completely overrun by toys and totally revolving around the DC but...they do lice there too!

I know someone who's house leant look like she has a young DC. It is immaculate like a very, very posh show home. It makes me feel uncomfortable as an adult, can't imagine how her DS feels playing there. It is certainly not a house that a child would play in.

*live

I planned for our living room to look like that. I think we lasted about two days...

Ignore the random *leant in my post. I have no idea what was even meant to go there!

My friend does, but she and her DH work all hours that there is and their child is hardly at home (before, after school clubs, CMs).

Children need things in the house to entertain themselves when they are there IMO. Very few kids can play with purely thin air inside a house. Young children need their toys where they play and unless the adult will be in their bedrooms, toys will be around the house.

I think good storage is as good as it gets.

Most of DD's toys are upstairs, but there's still little tell tale signs of a inhabiting child.

My sister is a clean freak but you can still tell kids live there.

My friend used to because her husband insisted on it.

He was also pretty abusive.

I can update this thread when she actually HAS a small child and let you know how it all panned out :o

My friend has two and her house is always spotless. Not sure how.

I bet trying kept the house spotless frazzles her out more than having a small child does.